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Arzu Kaprol
Another local favorite is Arzu Kaprol (Gisele Bündchen is a fan). Her designs are made from Turkish silks, leathers and wools, and range in price from $300 to about $1,400 for her popular leather jackets.
Beymen
This, along with Vakko, is one of the city’s premiere department stores. Beymen is more classic, similar to Bergdorf Goodman. Beymen’s Nişantaşi location also has a very popular café-restaurant with street-level seating in front of big windows.
Beymen Nişantaşı
The trendy fashion arm of Beymen feels like a funky East Village gallery turned boutique with a loft-like feeling, hip music and accessories and clothing from cutting-edge designers and beloved cult brands like Isabel Marant as well as the original Blender label. There are multiple levels devoted to international labels and gear from vintage records and quirky objects to bicycles—all for cool-hunting men and women.
EV+
Designer and Parsons-educated artist Yael Mesulam Manzakoglu has one of the most special stores in Nişantaşi. At EV+, she carries a gorgeous selection of embroidered linens that make excellent gifts. Look for the delicate nightgowns as well as terry cloth towels and tablecloths.
Fey
Founded by a veteran editor of Turkish fashion magazines, Fey offers timeless and elegant clothing from its own brand in addition to vintage attire, accessories and home décor.
Gallery Suav
This fabulous gallery sells locally made fashions and housewares from delicate silver spoons and colorful ceramic plates and tiles to fantastic crocheted caftans and sweaters— a showcase of traditional Ottoman crafts.
Gönül Paksoy
The city’s old-money socialites go crazy for Gönul Paksoy’s exotic creations—one-of-a-kind tunics and robe-like dresses inspired by Sufi whirling dervishes. A chemist by training, Paksoy dips the handwoven linens and silks in her self-made dyes, then pieces them together with antique fabrics she finds on her travels.
Gül Hürgel
The chic fashions at Gul Hurgel are inspired by the coastal style of the Mediterranean and are perfect for warm-weather getaways.
Hersey Aşk'tan
Turkish delight, otherwise known as lokum, first appeared in Ottoman palaces during the 15th century. The delicacy was most often made from molasses, honey, flour and water. Tons of different varieties can be found in Turkey today–some made almost entirely of chopped dates or pistachio. Movie buffs and readers will remember the pivotal role played by the sweet in the story of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. This tiny boutique sells the most beautifully packaged gift boxes of freshly made Turkish delight. You can sample a half dozen varieties from rose water to cinnamon and then pick from the many colorful boxes decorated with evil eye charms or golden hands of Fatima to be packaged while you wait.
Kanyon
Everyone raves about the Kanyon Mall, a high-end shopping complex (designed by the Los Angeles–based Jerde Partnership, which created Tokyo’s Roppongi Hills) with everything from Harvey Nichols to a Wagamama restaurant to an Apple store.
Mavi
Although this hip Turkish denim brand is now available around the globe, it’s also fun to shop where it started.
Mehry Mu
The beautiful handbags at Mehry Mu—all of which are handmade in Istanbul—are inspired by the vibrant fabrics found in the city’s famed Grand Bazaar.
Mehtap Elaidi
To say that Elaidi is an underground fashion label is literally and figuratively true. You have to descend below street level to enter the boutique in Nişantaşi to enter the designer Mehtap Elaidi’s boutique and what will you find are little-known (outside of Turkey), exquisitely made fashions. For years, Elaidi has been a stylish Stambouli woman’s source for of-the-moment, architectural fashions that are equally feminine and avant-garde.
Midnight
Midnight carries a variety of contemporary local designers as well as foreign brands and is a must-visit for shoppers wanting to emulate the modern Istanbul style. Although the Nişantaşi boutique is most centrally located, the one in Bebek, the upscale area north on the Bosphorus, also has a separate store devoted entirely to jewelry and carries beautiful pieces.
Misela
This luxury handbag brand produces chic clutches, totes and purses adorned with beautiful Eastern motifs that are carried by fashion icons around the world.
Punto Rugs
Stocking items like a mink gilet, studded leather jacket and silver fox fur jacket, Punto is the premiere destination in Istanbul for luxurious leathers and furs. Located in the Grand Bazaar, the upscale boutique sells such high-quality goods that many visitors purchase several to bring home.
Vakko
The city’s two premiere department stores are Beymen and Vakko. The latter is more fashion-forward.
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